Foreword Preface The Matter of Death Origins of the Debate Whose Death Is It, Anyway? Dealing with Death Putting Principles into Practice Death Matters Bibliography Index
This guide introduces general readers to people with personal stakes in the right-to-die conundrum.
Constance E. Putnam is a independent scholar and writer who specializes in medical history and medical ethics. She lives in Concord, Massachusetts.
"A 'natural death, ' unencumbered by medical choices and
interventions, is a rarity in our world. It is in this context that
the choice posed by Constance Putnam in her new book, Hospice or
Hemlock?, takes on a particular poignancy. [Putnam's book is]
important reading for those on both sides of the debate who are
struggling with the potential compatibility of 'hospice' and
'hemlock.'. . . The outstanding mix of sophisticated,
well-researched thought and practical insight should make her book
of interest both to scholars and to practitioners in the field of
end-of-life care, as well as to laypersons who have struggled with
these questions in their own lives."-From the Foreword by Timothy
E. Quill, M.D. Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, and Medical
Humanities University of Rochester School of Medicine and
Dentistry
"Constance Putnam has presented a thorough study of approaches to
dying which need to be discussed more openly, both in health care
settings and at home. Avoiding talk about the universal experience
of dying only adds to stress and pain when decisions need to be
made. In order to make choices that are most appropriate for
ourselves and people close to us, we need as much information as
possible. Constance Putnam has provided this, not only on a
conceptual basis, but by presenting personal portraits of people
most influential in the current field of care for dying
people."-Kristina Snyder, M.Ed. Former Director of Hospice and
Consultant on Hospice and Elder Services Cambridge,
Massachusetts
"How may we face dying? Hospice offers human understanding, control
of pain, and a direct, fearless look at death. Hemlock and other
forms of physician-assisted aid-in-dying offer the possibility of
dying on one's own terms, when one is ready, at the point in one's
final illness one chooses. These are the two principal alternatives
Constance Putnam explores in Hospice or Hemlock? as she skillfully
shows us the shoals over which we navigate in steering between
these choices. Both by examining philosophical arguments and by
looking at the human faces of the main figures in the right-to-die
controversy, Putnam offers us new, important insights about the
controversies over the right to die."-Margaret P. Battin, Ph.D.
Professor of Philosophy, University of Utah
?[H]ospice or Hemlock? offers a comprehensive review of the
literature and a usual summary of the debate....Putnam achieves her
goal of making this well-written and easy-to-read book accessible
to a wide audience?-The New England Journal of Medicine
?In a field that is flooded with extremist views, this book
provides a sane and moderate balance in addressing the important
question of how on chooses to leave life....For those seeking the
moral middle ground on this highly charged topic, this book makes
an invaluable contribution.?-Research News and Opportunities in
Science and Theology
?In this excellent work on a difficult issue, the author provides
an informative overview that challenges readers to examine their
own ethics, beliefs, and values as they relate to care giving. The
book includes an extensive bibliography and reading list for those
who wish to pursue additional information. For anyone considering a
career in hospice or palliative care. Essential. General readers;
professionals.?-Choice
"ÝH¨ospice or Hemlock? offers a comprehensive review of the
literature and a usual summary of the debate....Putnam achieves her
goal of making this well-written and easy-to-read book accessible
to a wide audience"-The New England Journal of Medicine
"[H]ospice or Hemlock? offers a comprehensive review of the
literature and a usual summary of the debate....Putnam achieves her
goal of making this well-written and easy-to-read book accessible
to a wide audience"-The New England Journal of Medicine
"In a field that is flooded with extremist views, this book
provides a sane and moderate balance in addressing the important
question of how on chooses to leave life....For those seeking the
moral middle ground on this highly charged topic, this book makes
an invaluable contribution."-Research News and Opportunities in
Science and Theology
"In this excellent work on a difficult issue, the author provides
an informative overview that challenges readers to examine their
own ethics, beliefs, and values as they relate to care giving. The
book includes an extensive bibliography and reading list for those
who wish to pursue additional information. For anyone considering a
career in hospice or palliative care. Essential. General readers;
professionals."-Choice
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